Berth



R. G. CUDINI Feb. 12, 1952 BERTH 2 SHEETS- SHEET l Filed Feb. l5, 1949lELl- R. G'. cuDiNl Feb. 12, 1952 BERTH 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Filed Feb. l5,1949 INVENTOR Kyu, 6*@4' 1" BY ATTORNEY Patented Feb. l2, 1952 BERTHRoger G. Cudini, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to Moynahan Bronze Company,Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application February 15, 1949, Serial No. 76,509

This invention relates to berth structures and more particularly tosuspension mechanism for vertically shiftable berth structures.

In one type of vertically adjustable berth structure for railroad cars,and other uses when there is limited room dimensions, the lower ends ofsuspension cables are attached to the berth pan and the upper ends ofthe cables are fastened to spring controlled anchorage means located inthe region of the roof or ceiling. Such anchorage means usually includesa movable head controlled by springs housed in a container. AS suchanchorage means is generally bulky, considerable head space issacrificed for its accommodation, particularly where it is concealedfromv the room by the ceiling, and maximum effort is required forattachment, detachment and when servicing.

An object of this invention is to provide a Vertically adjustable berthstructure that is suspended so that it can be readily attached ordetached in a room of restricted dimensions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vertically adjustableberth structure in which the spring controlled cable anchor means islocated in the berth pan whereby there will be maximum head space in theroom when the berth is stored in its upper position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembled or packagevertically adjustable berth structure in which the spring controlledanchorage means for suspension cables is carried in the berth pan sothat the upperV ends of the cables can be readily applied to or removedfrom fixed anchor brackets when the berth structure is being installedor removed for service.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art `from a study of the following description andaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a sleepingcar room having theberth structure installed therein.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the berth structure taken on line 2-2 ofFigure 4.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a cable pulley structureat one corner of the berth pan.

Figure 4 is a top plane View of the berth vstructure taken on line 4-4of Figure. 1, parts being .broken away to show underlying parts.

7 Claims.

Figure 5 is a :sectional view of the berth structure taken on line 5-5of Figure 4.

A bedroom I of limited dimensions, such as contained in a sleeping car II for railroads, is formed by flooring I2, ceiling I3, end walls I4 andside walls of which the outer wall I is shownfin the drawings. In theroom is a seat structure I6 having a hinged back I'I that maybe of thetyp carryingaberth. Y

Within the room is a berth structureof which the rectangular pan I8 vssubstantially the same length as the room. If desired, the pan may beslidably guided on the walls of the room in a conventional manner, butsuch guide means is not shown as it forms no part of the invention.

The pan I0 of the berth structure comprises a marginal wall preferablyformed of extruded metal sections,y I9 Welded together at their adjacentends. These wall sections have an inturned bottom flange and an inwardlyextending-intermediate flange 2i. above the bottom flange. Sheet metalbottom wall 22 underlies and.. is Welded to, or otherwise suitablyiixedy against the under face of the bottom flanges. Sheet metal falsebottom 23 is secured on top of the flanges l2l by detachable means, suchas screws 24.

Walls I9, bottom cover 22 and cover 23 dene a closed chamber 25 intowhich suspension cables 26 extend and are movablyanchored. The ends ofthe cables in the chamber are attached to movable anchor means or acarrier having a head 21 provided with openings 28 through which thecable ends extend. The cables extend through the head and theirprojecting ends are secured to nut 29. Guide shoe 30 depends from thehead and is mounted to ride in guide channel 3lV extending lengthwise ofthe pan. Under the guide channel is arranged a sheet 32 formed of. sounddeadening material, which is secured to the pan bottom by rivets 34 andby rivets 33 that also secure the guide channel to the pan bottom. Sheet32 also serves to stiften the panbottom.A

Wings 35 project from vrthesicles of the slidable anchor head rabove theguide channel and are provided with .holes for receiving and anchoringone end of tension coil springs 35 which are pref-A erably coated withsound deadeningV material. The other ends of 'such tension springs aresecured to bracket 31 xed to one of the .end walls of the pan betweenbottom 22 and false bottom y23.

Similar cable guiding units are provided at each corner of the pan andthey each comprise a single pulley 38, pin 39 on which the pulley ismounted, arms 40, angular bracket 4| and tube 42. The brackets t intothe corners of the pan frame and are welded thereto and the tubes arewelded within and to the corner portion of the brackets. Arms 40 arewelded to the lower ends of the brackets and tubes and extend downwardlyat an angle through false bottom 23 so that the pulleys 38 lie withinchamber 25.

Another cable guiding unit is provided in chamber 25 and is locatedbetween the corner pulleys and the anchor head.Y This unit comprises abracket 44, suitably secured to the bottom and end wall of the panwithin chamber 25, carrying pins 45 on which double pulleys 45 aremounted.

The cables extend through tubes 42 and around pulleys 38 and 46 withinthe chamber 25. The upper ends of the cables are attached to suitableanchors 46, such as eyescrews, xed to the room ceiling I3.

Springs 3B will normally maintain the slidable v guided anchor head 35in the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 whereby the cableswill be drawn into the chamber 25 a maximum extent to locate the berthpan in its upper vertical position adjacent the ceiling of the room. Theberth pan is moved downwardly to prone position in opposition to theforce exerted by the tension springs and suitable latch means (notshown) may be provided to retain the berth structure'in such position.'Upon the vbreakage of one of springs 36, the guide shoe 30 will cockand wedge in the guideway making it impossible to move the carrier head,andthe operator will thus know when-such a condition is encountered.

It will be noted that the spring controlled anchorage portion of thesuspension means is enclosed in the berth pan chamber 25 and thus nohead space is required to house such mechanism. Further, the arrangementof the spring controlled anchorage within the pan permits assembly andrepair at a station remote from the room ceiling whereby obviatinginaccessibility difficulty.

The invention may be modified in various respects as will occur to thoseskilled in the art and the exclusive use of all modifications as comewithin the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is: Y

1. A bed structure adapted to be lowered from the ceiling of a bedroomfor occupancy comprising a berth pan having a bottom chamber, aplurality of pan suspension cables having their lower ends extendinginto the pan'chamber and their upper ends adapted to be anchored to thebedroom' ceiling, slidably mounted anchor means in the pan chamber towhich the lower ends of the cables are attached, and spring means in thechamber connected to the pan andthe slidably mounted anchor means, saidspring means exerting a force upon the slidable'anchor means in adirection' tending to take up the cables.

2.V A bed structure adapted to be lowered from adjacent the ceiling of abedroom for occupancy comprising a rectangular pan, a, plurality ofcables for suspending the berth pan in horizontal position in thebedroom, the upper ends of said cables being ladapted to be secured tothe bedroom vceiling, a 'guideway member secured'to the bottom of thepan, an ranchor memberhavinga shoe portion slidably mounted in theguideway member, the lower'ends of the cables being attached to saidslidable anchor member. and tension springs secured to the anchor memberand the pan, said springs exerting a force upon the slidable anchormember in a direction tending to take up the cables.

3. A bed structure adapted to be moved vertically toward and from theceiling of a bedroom comprising a rectangular pan having a false bottomforming a lower chamber therein, a strip of reinforcing sound dampeningmaterial secured on the bottom of the pan within the chamber, a guidewayxed on the strip, an anchor member having a shoe slidably mounted in theguideway, tension springs having one end connected with the pan and theother end connected with the anchor member, pulleys fixed in the chamberat the corners of the pan, and supporting cables having their upper endsadapted to be anchored to the bedroom ceiling and their lower endsextending into the pan chamber over the pulleys and secured to theanchor member, said springs exerting a force upon the slidable anchormember in a direction tending to take up the cables.

4. A bed structure adapted to be lowered from Y upon the carrier in adirection tending to take up the cables.

5. A bed structure adapt-ed to be lowered Vfrom the ceiling of a bedroomfor occupancy comprising a rectangular pan having a bottom and aremovable false bottom dening a lower chamber, a carrier slidablymounted in the chamber, a bracket in the chamber xed to the pan in linewith the carrier, a do-uble pulley mounted on the bracket, pulleys inthe chamber secured to the corner portions of the pan, suspension cableshaving their upper ends adapted to be anchored to the bedroom ceilingand their lower ends passing over the corner and double pulleys andsecured to the carrier, and a plurality of tension springs in thechamber connected at one end with'the pan and at the other end with thecarrier, said springs exerting a force upon the carrier in a directiontending to take up the cables.

6. A bed structure adapted to be lowered from the ceiling of a bedroomfor occupancy comprising' a rectangular pan having a closed bottomVchamber, a guideway in the chamberx'ed to the bottom of the pan, acarrier in the chamber 'having a shoe slidably mountedin 'the guideway,a row of tension springs in the chamber connected with the pan at oneend and with the carrier at the other end, said carrier traversing theguideway and having an equal number of springs cone nected thereto oneach side of the guideway, cable guide means xed in thev corners ofthepan chamber and in line with the carrienand suspension cables havingtheir upper ends adapted to be anchored to the bedroom ceiling and theirlower ends extending around the guide means in the chamber and securedtothe carrier, said carrier shoe havingV sufficient play in 'ftheguideway to shift into wedged relation therein upon breakage of any oneof the springs.

7. A bed structure adapted tobe lowered from the ceiling of a bedroomfor occupancy compris ing a rectangular pan having a lower chamber, asound deadening strip in the chamber extending lengthwise above thecenter of the pan bottom and fixed thereon, a guideway fixed on thestrip, anchor means having a shoe slidable in the guideway, tensionsprings coated with sound deadening material having one end connectedwith an end of the pan and the other end connected with.

the anchor means, cable guide means fixed in the pan chamber, andsuspension cables having their upper ends adapted to be anchored to thebedroom ceiling and their lower ends extending into the chamber and.around the guide means and xed to the anchor means, said springsexerting a force upon said anchor means in a direction tending to takeup the cables.

ROGER G. CUDINI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 80,184 Judson July 21, 1868403,265 Harris May 14, 1889 520,760 Poor May 29, 1894 981,261 HaynesJan. 10, 1911

